The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-02-11

he'd come up ter the mark like man;
so says l to myself. I'll go down an
'nlighten him. So made some 'xcuse
or nuther ter Miss Hester fur takin' a
day of, an away l went.
.Fust, though, went ter the bank,
an drawed out a trifie or SO, cz I'd
slowed away fur rainy day. Fur.
says /. there's no knOwin' but what it s
Gomez an, furthermore. thought ez
how the advice wus a-goin' ter offer
Benjie might need some sech seasonin'
fore he could swaller it easy. All the
journey long wuz tryin' ter make
up this speech an tibet speech. but
'twasn't no go, SO says at las: When
/ git theer, I'll jes' open my mouth, an
let the Lord fill it, fur I'll De hanged eff
faint the Lords business I'm bout.
"'Benjie,' says l, arter got theer,
an he'd passed the usual complimenta-
ries. 4 never see a boy so greedy fur
stories ez you've alters ben. Settin' on
the wood-pile n summer. an roun' the
kitchen fire winter nights, I've tole We,
off n on. 'nough stories ter fill ship.
Some on 'em wuz fairy stories, some
he'd grain o truth bout 'em. while
more wuz clear lies-make-ups o. mine
but now I've come down here ter tell
We a story ez beats 'em all, fur it's Cos
pei truth, every livin' word ont So
l commences, a-pickin' O. my words
with fear an tremblin'.
ga good many years ago, Benjie.
tew o the bes' people ever knowcd
died. an lef half-growed woman an
a boy a trifie younger ter fight their
way long ez best they might. 'Nsech
a case. Benjie, dye think it's manful
to let the woman dew the heft o. the
battlin', an kerry mos q the burdens?
That's what he done; an AFTER while,
she kerried not only the hcft, but the
hull ont She sakerficed every thin
fur him, an what did she reap fur re-
ward? Nothin', l give We my word
fort, but the bitteres' KIN o. har-
YES.
One o the lkeliest men l ever
seed WIZ a-keepin' comply along o
her. This wuthless brother, he druv
him of, n broke up TIE match f'rever.
Their father lief 'em harnsom' livin'
this ongrateful brother. he wasted it
all. her substance, S well IS his'n, with
riotous livin'. Not to be tee hard on
him. he managed, one way IN 'nuther.
ter make life one continued burden To
her. An her a-bearin' an a.pleadin'
with him like Il horned mother! Final
ly, he took hisself off with what lcetle
theer was lef'. an fur six year she had
a breathin'-spell. Then news come ez
how he wuz dead an buried, an the
only thin he lef' his sister, s:vin' the
mem'ry o them years which wore her
youth out airly. WIZ lcetle tive-ycar-
Die boy. l mus be fair ter him, though.
an tell We he sent word CT he wuz very
sorry-that WIZ his fust. last, an only
in them half-dozen years.
s'pose Gods fOrgave him: l amt so
sure ez hey. but l know Miss Hester
did years an years ago. Wall, Benjie.
I've let the cat out o the bag fore i
meant ter! God forgive me. eff I've
gone an done wrong in op'nin' yer
eyer ter yer fathers sins: but it's SO We
ken profit by it. dear boy says l.
eyer aunt. she couldn't ha' tux We
more gladly. eff ye'd ben yer weight in
COL; an we've paid yer way. 50 fur.
han som. in the comfort you've ben ter
her. But now, Benjic. / dunno! dom
no! Here We be, a-callin' on purity
lively fur money-what's it fur? An
on t'other side. there's Yer aunt ter
hum, a-skimpin' an savin' all her
might, like : she done fur yer father.
How're we goin' ter pay her fort. Ben
JIG? She amt 'zactiy got ter sweetnin'
her tea with m'lasse>, but she's mex
door to it-shc's sol ole Whitley. an
now she hez ter foot it. Look ter yer
own heart, Bcnjie. Settle up this
matter square ':wixt God an Yer con-
science.
".No. no. says /, ez he begun ter
speak. Il won't hear nary word! l
only come to warn We never ter dew
nothin' ter bring another ache ter Miss
Hester's heart an edgin' towards the
door. l says. .Mcbbe this II help We in
the sluarin'-up. an putin the bills in
his ham, cut an run.
Zone evenin' bout a month arter
this. Benjic steps in pom us. all oncx-
p actcd. Jes' ez Miss Hester WIZ a-goin'
off ter bed. he seq:
"'Aunt Hetty. set down minute.
I've got suthin' ter tell Yer. I've lef'
college fur good an ALL says ne; AN
now. Std o larnin' books, I'm a-goin
ter larn ter be Il man.
.'No,' says he. answcrin' the fri ght
in her eyes. Il amt expelled; | lef' o
my own free will. 1t come acrost me,
Dnc day. like flash. what Il gre: lazy
|unk-hcad I'd ben, TO take my
ease, an leave you hard ter
work here, pervidin' fur me.
knowed ez you'd be dis'p:nted fust
long. Aunt Hetty dear. says he. but
couldn't feel a atom o respec' funny
self ef l let we keep me theer any
longer. A lady you air, an alters hev
been. but these worn hans an this ole
gownd don't look like it. Gin me yer
Aunt Hetty,' says he. fur
says he, I'm a-goin' ter
be yer help, an not yer hindrance.'
Il never caflatcd eZ he'd leave col
lege 'longo' my story; but his words
ringed out sech true metal tibet l gin !
hearty in ard thanks tibet I'd ben the |
means o br;ngin' the las Stanwood back |
L :: l. i